Will the move to May revive the PGA Championship?

August 9, 2017
The Scoop

Should more be done to revive interest in the PGA Championship? The NCG team have some ideas in this week's Niggle...

Alex Perry: Golf fans don’t get anywhere near as up for the PGA Championship as they do the other majors – or even the Players. It’s already moving to a May slot to become the second major of the year. Is that the answer? Or do they need more?

Tom Irwin: Match play is the answer.

Matthew Beedle: Would match play work? People would still find a way to moan about it. Only option at the moment is to see if people are happy with the move.

James Savage: No thanks to match play. Only works for team events. I like the PGA if it’s at a decent course.

Joe Urquhart: The PGA is just a glorified PGA Tour event. Hopefully it being on the BBC will give it something extra this year.

Joe Urquhart: It’s golf’s League Cup. No-one can really be arsed but once you’re in with a shout it wouldn’t be bad to win it.

Alex Perry: “No one can really be arsed”. Behave.

Dan Murphy: They definitely can. Winning a major is career-defining. It’s still a bigger week than all but three for the players.

Tom Irwin: The players are very arsed. It’s just us chumps.

Alex Perry: Joe, you’d be ecstatic if Leeds made a run at the League Cup.

Joe Urquhart: No thanks. Would rather be in the Premier League.

Alex Perry: Well that’s not happening any time soon.

Craig Middleton: I’d love a match play PGA championship. Bring it on.

Alex Perry: Wouldn’t you find Sunday really boring though? Just one or two matches. The Sunday of the WGC-Match Play is awful to watch on TV.

Craig Middleton: Good point, well made. Here’s a thought to make it a bit more jazzy: if a player loses by more than 4&3 they lose their spot at the US Open…

James Savage: Why not throw them in jail?

Steve Carroll: Capital punishment for marking your ball incorrectly.

Alex Perry: Imagine if Craig was in charge of the golf.

Craig Middleton: You’re all laughing but I bet it would make for good viewing.

Alex Perry: We’re all laughing because it’s utter nonsense.

James Savage: Look we’re not having match play in any of the four majors. Have it every other week but the majors are where 72 hole stroke play is good. It’s like a test match in cricket – the only pure form of the game. Having less stroke play golf week in week out is the only way forward to keeping everyone thirsty for the majors.

Alex Perry: A lot of people talk of taking it around the world…

Dan Murphy: As a one-off publicity stunt, yes. Beyond that I can’t for the life of me think why the PGA of America would want to take their tournament abroad. How is it benefiting their members?

James Savage: The players wouldn’t want that to happen, so it won’t.

Joe Urquhart: They should make the PGA Championship like GolfSixes. That was good.

James Savage: I would enjoy walk-on music in a major. What would your tune of choice be?

Alex Perry: Everlong by Foo Fighters, though that might make me too emotional. Break Stuff by Limp Bizkit would put the feat in your opponents, especially if you brought out a spare driver to smash over your knee.

James Savage: Invaders Must Die by The Prodigy would be mine.

Joe Urquhart: In the Belly of A Shark by Gallows. Golf wouldn’t know what hit it.

James Savage: My mate is the bass player in Gallows, he’ll let you use it Joe.

Joe Urquhart: Perfect.

Alex Perry: I’m changing my answer to Hulk Hogan’s walk on music. Even though I’m not a real American. Or fight for the rights of every man.

James Savage: When it comes crashing down and it hurts inside, do you take a stand?